World War II Honoree

Gail Schaeffer Miller

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Rulo, Nebraska

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1941. APPLIED FOR AND WAS SELECTED FOR AIRCREW TRAINING AS A NAVIGATOR. AFTER SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF FLEXIBLE GUNNERY SCHOOL, AND NAVIGATOR SCHOOL AT MATHER FIELD AT SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, GRADUATED AND WAS AWARDED HIS SILVER NAVIGATOR WINGS AND APPOINTED A FLIGHT OFFICER IN 1942. HE SUBSEQUENTLY JOINED A B-24 'LIBERATOR' HEAVY BOMBER CREW AND COMPLETED UNIT TRAINING BEFORE OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER WITH THE 380TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 5TH AIR FORCE, INITIALLY STATIONED IN DARWIN, AUSTRALIA. THE AREA OF OPERATIONS OF THE 5TH AIR FORCE WAS IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA AND HIS UNIT HELPED PREVENT THE SUPPLY AND REINFORCEMENT OF ENEMY BASES AND INCLUDED ATTACKING THE ENEMY MAIN SUPPLY BASE AT RABAUL ON NEW BRITAIN ISLAND IN THE BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO. DURING HIS TOUR OF DUTY, HE WAS ONE OF ONLY FIVE CREW MEMBERS TO SURVIVE THE CRASH OF HIS AIRCRAFT. RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1945 AND WAS STATIONED AT CURTIS FIELD AT BRADY, TEXAS, PERRIN FIELD AT SHERMAN, TEXAS, AND ENID ARMY FLYING SCHOOL AT ENID, OKLAHOMA. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM ACTIVE DUTY IN 1947 WITH THE RANK OF MAJOR AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. CONTINUED IN U.S. AIR FORCE RESERVE SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF COLONEL.